Proof of Angels (24 page)

My mind circled back that week to all the people I had talked to over the past three years since publication, all of the stories of angels people had shared with me and all the requests to find out more about the characters who lived and breathed inside
Proof of Heaven
. To Lucia, my editor, it seemed simple, really: tell what happened to all of them, through Sean. After a couple
of false starts, I pitched the idea of the entirely new book you have now to my agent and editor. I wanted a book about second chances—about failure and forgiveness, about doubt and faith, and about all the angels who touch us along the way, the ones who might just bump into us long enough to nudge us on our way and the ones who stay in our lives forever and guide us indefatigably toward the light. It took me a long time, and a lot of wasted energy, to see what was so clear and simple right in front of me: write a sequel. I couldn't have done it without Marly and Lucia. I couldn't have seen through the darkness without their light. And what seemed difficult was in fact simple after all.

We're not alone. Angels are among us. They are right here, every day, all around us, guiding us, guarding us, and lighting the way. I guess you could say this cynic, like doubting Tom and bullheaded Sean, who had to find out everything the hard way, finally believes in angels.

 

 

J
UST AS
P
ROOF OF
H
EAVEN
was a story about a big question, “Where do we go when we die?”
Proof of Angels
continues in that thread and asks another thought-provoking question: Why are we here and what is our purpose? Each character in
Proof of Angels
, especially Sean, struggles with that fundamental question, as well as several others: If he was spared, why him? Why not others? What does that mean for his life?

  
  
1.
    
Proof of Angels
opens with several epigraphs: which one resonated with you? Why? How do you think these quotes relate to the book?

  
  
2.
    
Each character has a different approach to life—Sean, James, Libby, Tom, Chiara, and even Chief have certain ideas about why they are here and what their purpose is. Whose approach do you most relate to? Does anyone's belief upset you? Why?

  
  
3.
    
Do you see yourself or any of your loved ones in these characters? If yes, who? And why?

  
  
4.
    
Do you think Sean really saw an angel? Or do you think he was hallucinating and got lucky in finding his way out of the fire?

  
  
5.
    
Do you believe in angels?

  
    
6.
  
There are two types of angels discussed in this book: the type that is the mysterious “being” that supposedly points Sean to safety, and then all the angels in his life who challenge him, push him, support him, and give him insights, or rather, illuminate the truth of his life. Which type of angel are you more apt to believe in?

  
  
7.
    
Have you experienced a miraculous or unexplained event? Have you ever felt the presence of an angel or a messenger? When? What happened? Could you rationally explain it, as Gaspar tried to get Sean to do? Or did you feel strongly that it was truly a miraculous intervention?

  
  
8.
    
Have you had transformational moments when you saw the light? When you were saved? Or when a friendship or relationship made all the difference in your life?

  
  
9.
    
Sean tells Tom at one point that everything in life happens for a reason. Tom doesn't feel this way. Do you feel more like Tom or Sean? Do think that there is a purpose for everything, even if it is beyond our own understanding? Does every life have a special purpose or mission?

  
10.
    
Both Sean and Libby must overcome their demons. They are, for the most
part, their own worst enemies. Do you think people who are “repeat offenders” at the game of life deserve a second chance? Would you forgive Libby or Sean for what they did to their loved ones?

  
11.
    
Why do you think Chiara is so quick to forgive Sean? Do you think it's possible for time to heal wounds and to just grow up and move on? Do you think that she took pity on his injuries? If he wasn't injured, do you think she would have been so kind?

  
12.
    
Chiara tells Sean: “It's dangerous to think you know what is best for someone else. To make a decision for two people without the other's consent. To decide another's life for them.” Do you agree? Has this ever happened to you?

  
13.
    
Sean forms a few new friendships in this book; which one particularly resonated with you? Why?

  
14.
    
In the end do you think Sean found proof of angels? Where? When? How?

  
15.
    
What's your proof? Or do you even feel like you need it?

A mother's faith, a child's courage, a doctor's dedication—a moving and thought-provoking tale of hope, love, and family.

He might be young, but Colm already recognizes the truth: that he's sick and not getting better. His mother, Cathleen, fiercely believes her faith will protect her ailing son, but Colm is not so sure. With a wisdom far beyond his years, Colm has to come to terms with his probable fate, but he does have one special wish. He wants to meet his father, who abandoned his beloved mother before Colm was born.

But the quest to find the dying boy's missing parent soon becomes a powerful journey of emotional discovery—a test of belief and an anxious search for proof of heaven.

A magnificent debut novel, Mary Curran Hackett's
Proof of Heaven
is a beautiful and unforgettable exploration of the power of love and the monumental questions of life, death, and the afterlife.

Click here to buy
Proof of Heaven
.

MARY CURRAN HACKETT
is the mother of two children, Brigid Claire and Colm Francis, and is married to Greg Hackett. She received an MA in English Literature from the University of Nebraska and a BA from the University Honors Program at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. Born and raised in Danbury, Connecticut, she now lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her kids, her husband, and her stacks of books.

www.marycurranhackett.com

Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at
hc.com
.

“
Proof of Heaven
belongs on any keeper shelf. It's beautifully written, mesmerizing and tragic, thought-provoking, and a reaffirmation of faith. The story of a mother's love for her son was touching . . . but it was the tale of one boy's search for heaven that brought me to tears. I loved this book.”
—Shelley Shepard Gray

“
Proof of Heaven
is a remarkable first novel that explores the intersections of science and religion, medicine, and faith. . . . Reminiscent of Carol Cassella's recent work, this is an emotionally fulfilling, spiritually inviting, thought-provoking novel.”
—
Booklist

“Does heaven exist? Are our loved ones waiting to reunite with us? Can near-death experiences offer proof? In Hackett's debut novel, everything hinges on an intriguing young boy, Colm, whose rare medical condition repeatedly causes him to die and return to life. Indeed, Colm physically manifests the dilemma each character in this novel faces: How can brain and heart, reason and faith, speak to each other?”
—
Kirkus Reviews
on
Proof of Heaven

“Colm's journey will move and charm readers who are also searching for answers to their own questions of faith. Hackett's lovely debut is a good choice for Melody Carlson devotees.”
—
Library Journal
on
Proof of Heaven

“A stirring and remarkable, life-affirming debut. . . . Kudos to Hackett for presenting a real world, gritty yet soaring tale in which humans must make personal choices between hope and hopelessness. . . . And rest assured that once you've finished . . . you may well look at life and its inevitable conclusion in a new way.”
—
New York Journal of Books
on
Proof of Heaven

This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

PROOF OF ANGELS
. Copyright © 2014 by Mary Curran Hackett. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

FIRST EDITION

EPub Edition NOVEMBER 2014 ISBN 9780062279965

ISBN 978-0-06-227995-8

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